He said: “I don’t look at the kaiki (records of the tea event) in advance. It is like taking an exam after seeing the answers. That would reduce the exchanges with the host to a mere act. A genuine surprise or joy would be more meaningful.”

If I ask about something already covered in the kaiki, I am worried that someone may think of me as a lazy person who has not done my homework. But that may be an unnecessary concern as it is very rare to be the first guest at a tea event.

読んでおいた方が通り一変の質疑応答を超えてもっと深く掘り下げる機会ができるのではないかな、とも思いました。

If you read it beforehand, I think you will have an opportunity to drill down deeper beyond cursory questions and answers. Just my humble opinion….